Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) announced that the two Maine students she nominated to attend U.S. Service Academies have both been accepted. Falmouth High School senior Samuel Yoon will attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado and Greely High School senior Riley Record will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York.

“Being accepted to a U.S. Service Academy is an extraordinary achievement that speaks volumes about a student’s academic excellence, leadership, and character,” said Pingree. “Like all the Maine students I’ve had the honor of nominating, Samuel and Riley have shown an outstanding commitment to serving our country. I’m incredibly proud of their acceptance to the Air Force Academy and West Point, and I wish them all the best.”

“My experience as captain [of my high school soccer team] has taught me the values of serving others and has reinforced my belief in the Air Force’s core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do,” Samuel wrote in his letter requesting a nomination.“I have been fortunate to grow up in a caring family and community. I feel drawn to service, and the environment that the military provides is how I want to serve. The military’s emphasis on duty, honor, and selfless service resonates with me.”

“It is truly the camaraderie, atmosphere, and service to country that drew me to the Academies. That camaraderie is something I have not felt elsewhere, and the universal ambition and drive of the students create an environment I wish to be a part of,” Riley wrote in her letter requesting a nomination. “I see the Academies as [a means] to dedicate my life to something bigger than myself, and to become a leader who will help people and my country. What I want most in my life is to have a purpose and be a part of an organization greater than a single entity, and the military would allow me this privilege.”

To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress.

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